Tustin senior’s dream of flying comes true

During World War II, Frances Brewer worked on warplanes for the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, but much to her dismay never got the opportunity to fly in one.

“I always wanted to fly,” Brewer said.

More than 70 years later, Brewer’s wish has been granted.

Through the efforts of some caring individuals, Brewer, 93, flew over the Orange County coastline in a single-engine four-seater out of John Wayne Airport.

Brewer, a former schoolteacher and clinical psychologist, lives at the Groves Senior Living center in Tustin.

The Groves has an initiative called “Livin’ the Dream,” which grants residents’ wishes in the same way the Make-A-Wish Foundation does for children with critical medical conditions.

“We find out what the residents have been wanting to do but never had a chance to do and try to make it happen for them,” said Alma Gomez, vibrant life director at The Groves.

During a visit to Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana, Brewer, who is in the middle stages of Alzheimer’s disease, told Gomez about her desire to fly in a small plane.

Gomez then got busy trying to make it happen.

She reached out to Costa Mesa-based Royal Aviation, an FAA-approved flight school providing flight instruction at John Wayne Airport, which agreed to get Brewer into a plane and up in the air.

With flight instructor Emi Kennedy at the controls, Brewer in the co-pilot seat and a videographer in the back seat, Brewer’s dream became reality on April 23.

The three took off from John Wayne Airport, traveled along the coast to Dana Point and then returned for landing.

“When we went over the water we went up pretty high,” Brewer said. “It was really fun to see the ground from up there.”

She even got to take the wheel during part of the flight.

“She was enjoying it, definitely,” Kennedy said. “I think she was just amazed.”

Back on ground, Brewer boarded a van for the trip back to the Groves.

“When you stop having adventures, you stop being alive,” Brewer said.

Lou Ponsi is a contributor to Times Community News.